Instructions for patching firmware 3.11.0

[ectoplasm]

Originally Posted by dedalos

How can I set the patch to obtain this result? Please help me and my aura hd.

That is exactly the layout I like, and I haven't been able to get there with my H2O yet. I'll try DNSB's settings.

[jackie_w]

Originally Posted by GeoffR

I've posted a new `Freedom to advanced fonts control` patch in post #2. It seems to work okay for me, but I don't use sideloaded fonts much for reading, so treat it with caution.

Don't use this patch if you have your device language or book language set to Japanese!

The patch causes a function to be called with an undefined argument. This is a bad thing to do, but as far as I can tell the undefined value is only used when the locale or book language is set to Japanese. Hopefully someone can find a better patch in time.

Originally Posted by jackie_w

Thanks, Geoff I'm busy until this evening but I should be able to test it then. Will report back.

So far so good. No unintended consequences so far. Let's hope it lasts.
Thank you, again, for the work you do.

[Nick_1964]

Originally Posted by GeoffR

I've posted a new `Freedom to advanced fonts control` patch in post #2. It seems to work okay for me, but I don't use sideloaded fonts much for reading, so treat it with caution.

Don't use this patch if you have your device language or book language set to Japanese!

The patch causes a function to be called with an undefined argument. This is a bad thing to do, but as far as I can tell the undefined value is only used when the locale or book language is set to Japanese. Hopefully someone can find a better patch in time.

I gonna try this one tomorrow.. I have some strange issues with my glo, when I put it to sleep,the next day it is freezed,for some strange reason with an underlined txt on the page, and a lot of strange error messages (dunno exactly the name,as it is upstairs now) starting with Oh humanity... and a lot of values... but the stupid is, if I just open or close the flap of the cover,it doesn't happen.. but after a night of sleep..

[duncann]

I've been using the advanced font control on 3.1.1 and sideloaded fonts without any issues that I can tell.

Definitely a big thanks to GeoffR for the patches. The kobo software has many shortfalls and would possibly make me return the H2O without them. Why Kobo can't do the basic things these patches do is beyond me???

[booklover6]

Tested the patch with the Freedom to advanced fonts control on my Aura, and it works great! Thanks!

[velkro2]

Thank you very much GeoffRf.
Is there any form to set sharpness always in maximum value (with no relation with weight)?
In firmware versions until 3.1.1, sharpness and weight settings were independent. I always set sharpness on maximum. I think the transition between pages looks to be faster. Is there any pach to recover that feature in the new firmware?

Originally Posted by Jellby

I don't like the "Page xx of yy" format for the footer, but I still want to see the "pages", so I'm using this patch:

<Patch>
patch_name = `Custom footer`
patch_enable = `yes`
#
# Changes the footer text with something shorter
# (not sure how it affects translations)
#
replace_string = CAA164, `Page %1 <i>of</i> %2`, `%1/%2`
</Patch>

Now the footer is simply "xx/yy". Similar patches could be done for the percentage and time left formats, I guess.

Thanks Jellby! That format looks better for me too.

[Ripplinger]

Originally Posted by Jellby

I don't like the "Page xx of yy" format for the footer, but I still want to see the "pages", so I'm using this patch:

<Patch>
patch_name = `Custom footer`
patch_enable = `yes`
#
# Changes the footer text with something shorter
# (not sure how it affects translations)
#
replace_string = CAA164, `Page %1 <i>of</i> %2`, `%1/%2`
</Patch>

Now the footer is simply "xx/yy". Similar patches could be done for the percentage and time left formats, I guess.

I really like this as well and added it into the patch and it worked great. I added a space before and after the slash though so it's not all crowded together which makes it easier for my decrepit eyes to read.

[ectoplasm]

Originally Posted by Jellby

I don't like the "Page xx of yy" format for the footer, but I still want to see the "pages", so I'm using this patch:

<Patch>
patch_name = `Custom footer`
patch_enable = `yes`
#
# Changes the footer text with something shorter
# (not sure how it affects translations)
#
replace_string = CAA164, `Page %1 <i>of</i> %2`, `%1/%2`
</Patch>

Now the footer is simply "xx/yy". Similar patches could be done for the percentage and time left formats, I guess.

Isn't the length supposed to be the same?
Like this:

replace_string = CAA164, `Page %1 <i>of</i> %2`, `     %1 / %2        `

Or does that not apply in this case?

[GeoffR]

Originally Posted by ectoplasm

Isn't the length supposed to be the same?

It shouldn't matter in this case.

The situations where the length of the replacement string has to remain the same are:
- When patching a QString object (the ones where there is a \x00 after each character)
- When the replacement string doesn't include the end of the string, such as with the individual lines in the custom reading footer patch.

[Jellby]

The replacement string has to be the same length or shorter, in this case.

I think I tried with spaces before the %1, and the footer came out off-center. I don't remember if spaces after the %2 made it centered again, but just removing the spaces was easier.

A side effect seems to be that it also changes the format of the "Page %1 of %2" texts in other parts of the interface (settings, search results, etc.).

[giododa]

I have some problem in customizing the patch for the reading footer style in my AuraHD.
I'd wish to further reduce the blank space between text and top-margin of the footer.
I don't understand if I have to modify the values only in the AuraHD/H2O section (strings DBDC0D, DBDC20, DBDC3D, DBDC58, DBDC6A, DBDC80, ) or in the first section too (string DBDBFC).
Could you please show me which values I have to modify?
Thank you.

[GeoffR]

For simple changes you only need to modify some of the following lines:

# Example for AuraHD/H2O:
replace_string = DBDC0D, `min-height: 70px;`, `min-height: 50px;`
replace_string = DBDC20, `max-height: 70px;`, `max-height: 50px;`
replace_string = DBDC3D, `footerMargin: 105;`, `footerMargin: 170;`
replace_string = DBDC58, `font-size: 16px;`, `font-size: 26px;`
replace_string = DBDC6A, `padding-bottom: 0px;`, `padding-bottom: 8px;`
replace_string = DBDC80, `margin-top: 0px;`, `margin-top: 0px;`
#
# Uncomment one of the following if you wish the footer to use a fixed font.
# (And enable one of the Custom header style patches below with the same font.)
#
#replace_string = DBDC92, `/*font-family:none;*/`, `font-family:  Amasis;`
#replace_string = DBDC92, `/*font-family:none;*/`, `font-family:  Avenir;`
#replace_string = DBDC92, `/*font-family:none;*/`, `font-family: Georgia;`

There are two things you can do to further reduce the space between the text and footer:

1. Add a negative margin-top to the footer:

replace_string = DBDC80, `margin-top: 0px;`, `margin-top:-5px;`

2. Reduce the height of the footer, and add some bottom padding to keep the footer the same distance from the bezel:

replace_string = DBDC0D, `min-height: 70px;`, `min-height: 40px;`
replace_string = DBDC20, `max-height: 70px;`, `max-height: 40px;`
replace_string = DBDC6A, `padding-bottom: 0px;`, `padding-bottom:13px;`

There is a complication that some fonts (such as Gothic) will be cut off at the bottom if you reduce the height too much. To avoid this you can also change the font-family used for the footer to one that doesn't suffer the cut-off problem, such as Avenir for example:

#replace_string = DBDC92, `/*font-family:none;*/`, `font-family:  Amasis;`
replace_string = DBDC92, `/*font-family:none;*/`, `font-family:  Avenir;`
#replace_string = DBDC92, `/*font-family:none;*/`, `font-family: Georgia;`

[giododa]

Thank you very much.

[Ripplinger]

Originally Posted by Jellby

...
I think I tried with spaces before the %1, and the footer came out off-center. I don't remember if spaces after the %2 made it centered again, but just removing the spaces was easier.

A side effect seems to be that it also changes the format of the "Page %1 of %2" texts in other parts of the interface (settings, search results, etc.).

With the spaces before and after the slash, so the page numbers will be 57 / 412 instead of 57/412, it stays perfectly centered and it's just easier for me to read.

I hadn't noticed that it also changed search or settings yet, but that's not a problem at all for me, it could change the page numbering to that system everywhere on the reader and I'd be happy. I know why Kobo uses italics in some spots, so you know you can click on it, but for some reason I find it visually off-putting to see "Page 57 of 412." And if I see numbers at the bottom or certain places in the menu, I know they're page numbers, I find the extra text just odd to have there. I was able to make that same change to my Sony 350s with PRS+.

I probably wouldn't mind it as much if it was entirely in italics instead of just the word "of" in the middle of it.

[Nick_1964]

Originally Posted by GeoffR

For simple changes you only need to modify some of the following lines:

Spoiler:

# Example for AuraHD/H2O:
replace_string = DBDC0D, `min-height: 70px;`, `min-height: 50px;`
replace_string = DBDC20, `max-height: 70px;`, `max-height: 50px;`
replace_string = DBDC3D, `footerMargin: 105;`, `footerMargin: 170;`
replace_string = DBDC58, `font-size: 16px;`, `font-size: 26px;`
replace_string = DBDC6A, `padding-bottom: 0px;`, `padding-bottom: 8px;`
replace_string = DBDC80, `margin-top: 0px;`, `margin-top: 0px;`
#
# Uncomment one of the following if you wish the footer to use a fixed font.
# (And enable one of the Custom header style patches below with the same font.)
#
#replace_string = DBDC92, `/*font-family:none;*/`, `font-family:  Amasis;`
#replace_string = DBDC92, `/*font-family:none;*/`, `font-family:  Avenir;`
#replace_string = DBDC92, `/*font-family:none;*/`, `font-family: Georgia;`

There are two things you can do to further reduce the space between the text and footer:

1. Add a negative margin-top to the footer:

replace_string = DBDC80, `margin-top: 0px;`, `margin-top:-5px;`

2. Reduce the height of the footer, and add some bottom padding to keep the footer the same distance from the bezel:

replace_string = DBDC0D, `min-height: 70px;`, `min-height: 40px;`
replace_string = DBDC20, `max-height: 70px;`, `max-height: 40px;`
replace_string = DBDC6A, `padding-bottom: 0px;`, `padding-bottom:13px;`

There is a complication that some fonts (such as Gothic) will be cut off at the bottom if you reduce the height too much. To avoid this you can also change the font-family used for the footer to one that doesn't suffer the cut-off problem, such as Avenir for example:

#replace_string = DBDC92, `/*font-family:none;*/`, `font-family:  Amasis;`
replace_string = DBDC92, `/*font-family:none;*/`, `font-family:  Avenir;`
#replace_string = DBDC92, `/*font-family:none;*/`, `font-family: Georgia;`

Played a bit with these settings.
I use this settings now for Glo and Aura HD:

Spoiler:

<Patch>
patch_name = `Custom reading footer style`
patch_enable = `yes`
replace_string = DBDBFC, `ReadingFooter {\n\tmin-height: 70px;\n\tmax-height: 70px;\n\tqproperty-footerMargin: 105;\n}\n\nReadingFooter[qApp_deviceCodeName="phoenix"] {\n\tmin-height: 82px;\n\tmax-height: 82px;\n}\n\nReadingFooter[qApp_deviceCodeName="dragon"] {\n\tmin-height: 120px;\n\tmax-height: 120px;\n\tqproperty-footerMargin: 170;\n}\n\n* {\n\tfont-size: 16px;\n}\n\n[qApp_deviceCodeName="phoenix"] {\n\tfont-size: 20px;\n}\n\n[qApp_deviceCodeName="dragon"] {\n\tfont-size: 26px;\n}\n\n[qApp_localeName="ja_JP"] {\n\tfont-family: A-OTF Gothic MB101 Pr6N;\n}`, `ReadingFooter {\n\tmin-height: 70px;\n\tmax-height: 70px;\n\tqproperty-footerMargin: 105;\n}\n\n* {\n\tfont-size: 16px;\n\tpadding-bottom: 0px;\n\tmargin-top: 0px;\n\t/*font-family:none;*/\n}\n\n[qApp_localeName="ja_JP"] {\n\tfont-family: A-OTF Gothic MB101 Pr6N;\n}`
#
# Uncomment the replace_string lines of one of the examples below, comment out
# the rest. If you choose to make further changes to the examples, BE CAREFUL
# NOT TO ALTER THE LENGTH OF THE REPLACEMENT STRINGS! (Add or remove spaces if
# necessary to keep the total length the same.)
#
# Example for Nick's Glo:
replace_string = DBDC0D, `min-height: 70px;`, `min-height: 40px;`
replace_string = DBDC20, `max-height: 70px;`, `max-height: 40px;`
replace_string = DBDC3D, `footerMargin: 105;`, `footerMargin: 105;`
replace_string = DBDC58, `font-size: 16px;`, `font-size: 28px;`
replace_string = DBDC6A, `padding-bottom: 0px;`, `padding-bottom: 7px;`
replace_string = DBDC80, `margin-top: 0px;`, `margin-top:10px;`
#
# Example for Nick's Aura HD:
#replace_string = DBDC0D, `min-height: 70px;`, `min-height: 50px;`
#replace_string = DBDC20, `max-height: 70px;`, `max-height: 50px;`
#replace_string = DBDC3D, `footerMargin: 105;`, `footerMargin: 170;`
#replace_string = DBDC58, `font-size: 16px;`, `font-size: 35px;`
#replace_string = DBDC6A, `padding-bottom: 0px;`, `padding-bottom: 8px;`
#replace_string = DBDC80, `margin-top: 0px;`, `margin-top:13px;`
#
# Uncomment one of the following if you wish the footer to use a fixed font.
# (And enable one of the Custom header style patches below using the same font.)
#
replace_string = DBDC92, `/*font-family:none;*/`, `font-family: Amasis;`
#replace_string = DBDC92, `/*font-family:none;*/`, `font-family: Avenir;`
#replace_string = DBDC92, `/*font-family:none;*/`, `font-family: Georgia;`
#
</Patch>

Gives me this result: ( still a bit to much wasted space on the Aura HD bottom,but I can't get that better.)
Glo. and Aura HD.
Thanks GeoffR for pointing out where the values stand for, the more I know what the values do, the more I can find my way in it.